My Morning Skincare Routine | Gin and Glow

Who doesn't love a good, short but effective skincare routine? A simple skincare routine in the morning not only saves you a bit of time, but it also allows you to sleep slightly longer!

Hi everyone! Today I'll be showing you my morning skincare routine. My skin type is combination (leaning more towards the dry side), acne-prone and my main concern is dehydration and dullness. I keep it as basic as possible and I hope this can help you build your own skincare routine!

Actually, I always start my morning routine with a cleanser (not pictured), I opt for a gentle gel cleanser to cleanse my face from last night's skincare residue without stripping my skin.

Next I'll use a toner. Now remember, toner isn't necessary (the 3 basic skincare items are cleanser, moisturizer and sunscreen but more on that later, maybe in another post), however dampening the skin before applying a serum does make the serum absorb better. I like this toner from COSRX, it's the AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner. Although it's considered an exfoliating toner, it only contains 0.1% AHA and 0.1% BHA, which is not even high. Due to the low concentrations of acids, it's safe to use daily. I like this one in particular because it's gentle and I can use it everyday to prevent formation of clogged pores that can turn into inflamed acne. The toner is very lightweight and watery.

For serum I like a multi-tasking one, this one from Allies of Skin (reviewed here) is amazing because it has hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and a bunch of antioxidants including 2% superoxide dismutase. This serum not only hydrates my skin but it also brightens my skin, maintains my skin barrier & offers a lot of protection from free radicals. It's like a 3-in-1 serum. I've been using this for over a year and I can't get enough of it. I really want to try their newest formula, though.

After serum, I use a moisturizer. Since I have combination skin, moisturizer is quite important. Moisturizer helps seal in the moisture and hydration from previous skincare products while also moisturizing the skin. This one from Sisley is really great because it has the perfect gel-cream texture and it makes my skin plump, radiant and bouncy instantly. 

For sunscreen, I opt for this gel sunscreen from Anessa. This white version contains tranexamic acid to help brighten the skin but it still offers SPF 50, protection from both UVA and UVB rays and it has the most amazing gel texture. Lightweight but doesn't pill, gives this beautiful dewy finish and feels extremely comfortable on the skin.

What does your morning routine look like? What's the most important product in your AM routine?